


An Easy Way

by Rainbow_Transform



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Callum centric, Callum is a good brother, Callum sings to Ezran, Ezran goes home, Gen, Harrow loves his kids, Hurt/Comfort, Kinda Weird, Kinda song fic, Rayla is a good friend, Sarai sang to Callum, They're awesome kids, but okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-14 16:43:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19277326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainbow_Transform/pseuds/Rainbow_Transform
Summary: It welcomes him as he’d never felt before. Like he’d come home. And he hears, quietly, softly like it was in the wind “If I had wings… like Noah’s dove…”“I’d fly up to the river, to the one I love,” Callum calls back, quiet.“Fare thee well, oh honey.”“Fare thee well.”





	An Easy Way

**Author's Note:**

> Ze zongs do not belong to me, children.
> 
> I'm somewhat back.
> 
> They are Dink's Song (Unknown Singer/Composer) and Blackbird (Beatles) and Mozart's Sleep Little Prince.

Callum is four when he remembers the pain. Aching so deep inside his heart that he wanted to bring his heart out of his chest and throw it away from him. He’d hidden his pain deep within the light of him being “innocent” and “quiet” and “mourning” before slipping into the covers of his bed. 

 

He curls around himself, the covers cold from no use. The maids must’ve forgotten that he’d sleep in his room tonight. He’d usually be in his mother’s; curled against her side and her singing softly in his ear. 

 

He curls tighter. He misses his mother’s warmth.

* * *

 

Callum is five when the history teacher he’d had tells him about how  _ Ezran _ is the true Prince of Katolis, and Callum is just a back-up. “I won’t lie to you,” the teacher tells him. 

 

“Ezran is the Prince, born from our King’s Royal bloodline,” the teacher tells him. “Therefore, if our King dies⸺ _ Goddess hope not _ ⸺then the Prince will be our King.”

 

“But what if Ezran’s still a baby?”

 

“Until  _ Prince _ Ezran is of legal age, which is sixteen, I suppose the next best person. It could be a tie between Mage Viren and General Amaya.”

 

Callum’s mouth is dry. “Not me?”

 

“No, Prince Callum. The Advisors would fight tooth and nail the entire way toward your Kingship. They will state that you are not of legal age, bloodline, or the King’s son in any way. Others would argue that you are the Queen’s, therefore you should be the King until Prince Ezran can take over. And, even if the advisors would agree there is also gaining the respect of the other Kings and Queens of the human Kingdoms.”

 

“What about Queen Aanya? She is not of legal age?”

 

“She has other advisors to help her out. Her own aunts and uncles, grandmothers and grandfathers. Her family. In other words, they call her Queen. She has all the final decisions. Her mothers’ will tell her that she is; just in case they didn’t come back. She is Queen in every sense except legal. She is still the  _ Princess-Queen _ of Duren; until she is sixteen. She was taught from a young, young age to be a Queen. I won’t sugarcoat anything, Prince Callum. You are not of Royal blood, therefore you have no reason to inherit the Kingship. It is better to realize this now rather than later when the King is dead and you suddenly wage war against your brother for a throne that was never yours, to begin with.”

 

Callum left the room and never saw that teacher again.

* * *

 

When he’s six years old, Soren (his sword teacher and Uncle Viren’s son) calls him a  _ “step-prince” _ and refuses to call him anything else. He teases him endlessly, and Callum gives up telling him to stop. “If my mother,” Callum shouts one day before pausing.

 

Soren blinks in surprise, before pulling up more teasing, but Callum sees the glimmer of regret and pain in his eyes. Callum swallows bury the pain deep inside him and jumps up to keep pretending to fight Soren.

 

It’s a sudden rigor of Soren and Callum’s wills, fighting together and Ezran, three, is in the arms of one of the knights, gurgling at Callum.

 

Callum can’t help but wonder why he would wage war against the bundle of sunshine that’s currently cheering him on.

* * *

 

Callum is seven, and Ezran is four when his father goes off to fight a battle. It’s against the elves again and Callum tells Harrow that he can’t lose another parent. Soren bows to Harrow and Ezran, calls them “My King, my Prince,” and promises to Katolis that he’ll bring their King home safe.

 

General Amaya flicks his head, shakes her own, and signs  _ “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” _

 

Soren’s face turns bright red before he flees into the castle’s rooms to find his sword and stuff. Aunt Amaya turns to Callum, signs  _ “How’s it going, baby?” _

 

_ “Not good.” _

 

_ “Why?” _

 

_ “I dunno.” _

 

_ “How about before we leave, I’ll take you to the River?” _

 

_ “Sure. Why not.” _

 

Aunt Amaya looks upset and she lifts her hands to sign something before Callum turns his back on her and walks into the castle.

* * *

 

Callum is eight when Ezran appears in his room, crying his eyes out. He’s only four years old and he’s scared because he just had a nightmare about Dad dying and he couldn’t see where he was and blood was everywhere and Callum was holding a sword on Ezran’s throat, but he wasn't Callum he was an elf and he had markings on his face.

 

Callum just lifts his covers and allows Ezran into his bed. He wonders, not for the first time, who’d ever wage war against Ezran. He was such a sweet kid, and honestly, he’d be too much of a wimp to wage war against anyone. If anything, he’d  _ give _ the throne away.

 

Callum feels Ezran shaking, and begins singing softly to his brother the same song his mother used to sing to him.

 

_ “Sleep little dream prince of mine. Leave your toy soldiers in line.” _

 

Ezran’s shivering calms down.

 

_ “Birds have all gone to their nest, even the bees are at rest.” _

 

His eyes flutter shut.

 

_ “Heavenly stars and the moon all will be greeting you soon.” _

 

His breathing slows.

 

_ “Through the dark night they will shine; sleep little dream prince of mine.” _

 

Ezran falls asleep, and Callum swears on the stars that nobody will steal Ezran’s throne. Callum will make sure of that.

* * *

 

Callum is nine when he listens to the Kingdom’s music. People have different tastes, and they all bring it together. They’re taking a drive (Callum, Harrow, and Ezran) when he hears someone shushing their baby quietly. It’s something that Callum never expected to hear, but as they stop for Harrow to go to the store and buy something, he hears the mother singing quietly.

 

_ “Blackbirds sing in the dead of night. Take these broken wings and learn to fly.” _

 

Callum cranes his neck back to take a look at the woman. She’s staring at her child, singing it with such love and devotion and Callum can’t help but watch. 

 

_ “All your life, you were just waiting for this moment to arise.” _

 

The carriage keeps moving as Callum watches the woman hugging her baby tight. She gets smaller, and smaller until she just disappears into the backdrop of Katolis. Callum feels someone pressing against his side and he turns his head to glance at Harrow and Ezran.

 

Ezran presses a piece of candy into Callum’s palm; Bait sitting on his lap, croaking unhappily. “I thought you’d like it.” Ezran looks happily between Callum and the candy.

 

Callum places it into his mouth. It’s sweet-tasting, with just a hint of something sour sitting underneath the surface. 

 

Callum begins to hum.

* * *

 

He was ten when he learns that the reason that humans and elves are fighting is that humans made some bad magic and the elves didn’t like it. Claudia, whose twelve, (Soren’s sister; Viren’s daughter and protege) explains that humans usually aren’t born knowing Magic, but they can  _ learn. _

 

“I’m learning,” she says, proudly, despite the dark circles underneath her eyes, and waver in her voice. “I’m going to protect you and Ezran and Soren and the King and  _ alllllllll _ the people of Katolis!”

 

“It doesn’t look good,” Callum chooses his words carefully. 

 

“So?” She snaps. “ _ I’m _ learning Magic!”

 

“And?” Callum snaps back.

 

“And  _ you’re  _ not! Go away!” She screams before pushing Callum into a puddle and storming off. Callum could’ve sworn her eyes turned black for just a moment before turning back to her normal green.

 

Callum picks himself up and goes to change into dry clothes before he catches a cold. He avoids Claudia like a plague for the next few weeks.

* * *

 

When he was eleven, he learns that his name means Dove, and that is elvish. Viren (Harrow’s Mage) tells him in a mean voice and seemed to be saying something about Callum’s mother. Callum wasn’t afraid to admit that he’d taken a swing at the Mage and he’d even got a hit in.

 

Harrow grounds him for three weeks and Callum, in all his fuming, tells Harrow that he’ll be packing his things up and moving to the outskirts of the village and Harrow will never see the “bastard son of the Queen” ever again.

 

Harrow, in a moment of shock, didn’t reply and Callum fled the scene. Ezran begs him to stay as Callum’s packing his bag and Harrow  _ commands  _ Callum to not leave; posting guards outside his door twenty-four-seven until “Callum has that foolish, stupid, idiotic idea  _ out _ of his head.”

 

It didn’t work for two months.

* * *

 

Callum’s twelve and he learns that Harrow is his father, not by blood, but by love and devotion. He’s somehow always known but never acknowledged it because he assumed his biological father would come to join him after his mother died and they’d live together.

 

He assumed this because his mother always told him that his father had promised to take care of them, forever and never to let them fall or get hurt or injured. But, Callum learned from his years as time passed. Harrow did love him, despite forcing him to sword fight but that was more his mother’s doing than anything else.

 

He kept him after Callum’s mother died, despite not being owed anything to Sarai except the heir to the throne (Ezran). He’d taught Callum the history of his world; the history of others’; why they were at war. He’d taught Callum everything a  _ Prince _ should know, and if Callum’s never going to inherit the throne, who cares? Ezran’s eight years old and Callum knows he is learning the same thing Callum has learned. 

 

He’s learning how to be a King; and how Callum won’t inherit the throne and the legal age of when the heir could take the throne, should the King die. 

 

Callum still can’t bring himself to call Harrow “Dad” but he’s learned to settle in better.

* * *

 

At thirteen, he begins to realize that he likes Claudia. She’s pretty with her black hair and green eyes; the bags that used to be on her face are gone and she’s so much nicer than she was at twelve. She begins to teach Callum to “social norms” of Katolis and she’s pretty much nicer to everyone and Soren’s teasing hasn’t stopped but it’s quieter than he’d normally do.

 

Callum thinks it’s because Soren’s somewhat matured and learned that he didn’t need to put others down to make himself feel better or something. Ezran’s nine and still throws himself into Harrow’s arms and blathers about anything and everything. 

 

He also still comes into Callum’s room for nightmares and Callum still sings his mother’s lullaby and the mother from the town. But only when Ezran asks for it, because it helps Callum remember his mother’s eyes when she sings it; and Ezran says it helps him remember her smile. 

 

Callum hopes that Ezran won’t have to hear a song to remember his mother’s smile. But for now, Callum’s content to sit there and sing for Ezran.

* * *

 

At the edge of fourteen, King Harrow and his Mage go and kill the Dragon King. It’s to take back Xadia, to be allowed in; and to avenge all the Queens’ deaths. Callum doesn’t realize it, but the Dragon Prince  _ (The Dragon King’s heir) _ is taken to the castle (under King Harrow’s nose) and Viren keeps it in a dungeon-lair thing. 

 

Callum wakes up his birthday, feeling lost and depressed and angry. It’s been ten years since he lost his mother, and he doesn’t know why he feels like this again. When Harrow asks him what he wants for his birthday, Callum mumbled something about just going to sleep, and he does. 

 

Harrow and Ezran look on with worried looks on their faces.

* * *

 

Weeks later, he meets Rayla, a Moonshadow assassin with markings on her face. He goes on a journey with Ezran and her, leaving behind a father who’d never heard Callum call him dad; an evil mage who’d send both his children after them to kill them; and an egg that sits there and seems to influence both Ezran and Rayla.

 

He brings with him the knowledge of Harrow is going to be okay; they’re stopping a war; and he’s a Mage, with a primal stone in his palm and the Sky at his beck and call, Callum feels unstoppable.

He breaks the stone to bring the Dragon Prince into the world of Light, with the Sky behind him. Callum breaks the stone with the strength of the world at his feet and lighting at his fingertips. Azymodiaus comes into the world surrounded by strangers and just learning how to walk and fly and  _ teaching _ them other things. 

 

Callum feels the Moon shining down on him, and he feels warm. Something sparkly comes falling down from the sky, and Zym follows them trying to bite them. He’s only ten minutes old, just a hatchling. A fledgling? A dragonet?

 

The wind picks up speed, cold fingers digging into Callum’s hair and the back of his neck. But Callum welcomes it with the feeling of  _ I’ve done well. And I’m going to learn more Magic soon. _

* * *

 

Humans can’t learn primal magic; Callum’s father is dead, Ezran doesn’t know; Soren and Claudia find them, betray them; Bait gets jealous and wants to hang out with Callum; Callum doesn’t know his place in the group; Corven comes forth and reveals that Harrow’s dead, and Ezran runs away. Rayla goes to help the fallen dragon; Callum goes to help Rayla. Claudia pleads for him to  _ put down the notebook, it’s really dangerous if you don’t know how to do it _ ; Callum replies that she’d taught him and shown him.

 

And he uses dark magic, learns about himself and connects to the Sky. It welcomes him as he’d never felt before. Like he’d come home. And he hears, quietly, softly like it was in the wind  _ “If I had wings… like Noah’s dove…” _

 

“I’d fly up to the river, to the one I love,” Callum calls back, quiet.

 

_ “Fare thee well, oh honey.” _

 

“Fare thee well.”

 

He wakes up, does his Magic like he’d been born to and turns his head towards his brother. 

 

Ezran decides to go home to take the throne, despite not being sixteen; Callum and Rayla go on the journey themselves. Zym and Ez are connected in a way that Callum doesn’t understand but he won’t question it. Zym stays on Callum’s shoulder and with confidence, they stroll into Xadia. 

 

Rayla welcomes them before she says “Oh, no,” and a dragon the size of Callum’s home raises his head to stare at the three of them.

 

Callum feels the Sky at his back, quiet, peaceful, and powerful.

**Author's Note:**

> Comment, kudo, and everything nice! ^.^


End file.
